Who Invented Pigs in a Blanket

Pigs in a Blanket might sound a little funny if you’re actually picturing pigs rolling around their stalls in actual blankets, but this is a reference to the snack food that involves a hot dog or sausage and rolled dough. When baked, you get a crispy, meaty goodness that no other dish can replicate. It has always been an easy way to have a filling meal and the origins of Pigs in a Blanket dates back as far as the 17th century.

For the modern invention of this recipe, however, the earliest written records of it are in the Cooking For Kids cookbook produced by Betty Crocker from 1957. It had to have been invented earlier than this from a modern perspective, however, because the cookbook contains several testaments to the wonderful nature of the recipe.

What It Is Depends On Where You’re From

For those who live in the United States, the typical Pigs in a Blanket is a small Vienna sausage that has been wrapped in some form of breakfast dough. You’ll normally see croissant dough for this in pictures of the food item, but it can be biscuit dough or even pancake batter and it will still qualify. You can also find sausages, hot dogs, and other types of cocktail meats wrapped in dough as well, while some kolaches also incorporate meat in a type of wrapped puffed pastry.

If you go across the pond to the UK, the Pigs in a Blanket is again a small sausage, though it is usually a chipolata for this version. Instead of wrapping them in bread dough, you’ll find these sausages are wrapped in bacon instead. They are typically served for Christmas dinner with a turkey, and are often served with devils on horseback, which are prunes that are also wrapped in bacon.

How Easy Is It To Make This Recipe?

Making Pigs In a Blanket is really easy to do, especially if you’re using some of the pre-made ingredients that are available today. All you’ve got to do is get your favorite sausage meat or hot dog and some canned biscuit or croissant dough from the store. Bring the two items home, wrap the meat in the dough, and then bake it according to the dough instructions on the side of the can. In just a few minutes, you’ve got a wonderful finger food.

There are some modern innovations on this recipe that are also quite wonderful to try. You can wrap scrambled eggs around the sausage and then coat it all in pancake batter to create finger foods that are a complete breakfast in every bite. For spicy Pigs In a Blanket, you can mix red pepper flakes in with the dough or place them on top of the dough if you’re using store bought ingredients. Either way you go, you’re going to end up with a fantastic dish.

The English may have invented the first Pigs In a Blanket and Betty Crocker might have perfected it, but you can still make this tasty treat your own. Make sure to enjoy this dish the next time you have it and be grateful that you’re not out on a cold, rainy farm trying to have a quick, hot meal.

Marc is the founder of Vision Launch Development Group. Vision Launch was created to inspire, empower, and promote social entrepreneurs – and be a vehicle for positive change in the world. Marc is strong proponent of individual freedom, freedom of speech, economic empowerment, open source and decentralized peer to peer solutions.